Prof Bernice Adegbehingbe, Head of Ophthalmology at OAUTHC, made the disclosure during an interview with News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on the 2023 World Glaucoma Week.

The theme of this year’s event is “The world is bright, save your sight”.

This year’s World Glaucoma Week from March 13 to 16, features Glaucoma awareness talk, radio programme and screening for the patients, among others.

According to her, Glaucoma leads to total blindness and the common causes of irreversible blindness.

Adegbehingbe, a Consultant Ophthalmologist, said that early diagnosis remained the only way out to avoid glaucoma.

The ophthalmologist stated that anybody above 40-years with family history of diabetes, hypo/hypertension, migraine, sickle cell patients are prone to have glaucoma, because it is hereditary.

She advised all to check their eyes at least once in two years, for them to ensure their safety optically for 50 per cent.

Adegbehingbe condemned the lackaidasical attitudes of Nigeria leaders over the health and eye care.

She said that only government workers were enjoying health insurance scheme, compared to what obtained in developing countries.

She urged government to mandate glaucoma test for students seeking admission from primary to tertiary institutions as well as the job seekers in order to eradicate the diseases among the young and aged.

Adegbehingbe noted that while eye sight of cataract patient could be restored through surgery, glaucoma had no remedy.

She commended government and private bodies which organised cataract surgery, free eye screening and glasses for the public and called for more emphasis on glaucoma.

She appealed to government and philantorpists to subsidise drugs for glaucoma patients in view of their high costs.

Adegbehingbe also urged government to place treatment and drugs for glaucoma patients under NHIS for the relief of the patients.

Also, the President, Glaucoma Association of Nigeria, OAUTHC, Mrs Lydia Oke, lauded ophthalmologists at the teaching hospital for giving glaucoma patients the best treatment.

Oke urged government to come to their aid by subsidising their drugs which she said were too expensive, saying that many glaucoma patients were already going blind due to inadequate care.

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The President of MWAN in Kwara, Dr Mosunmola Folorunsho, gave the advice at a free eye screening programme organised by the association in conjunction with Ophthalmology Department, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, UITH.

Folorunsho warned that glaucoma is “one of the common causes of blindness in Nigeria that silently takes away the vision; so people who are 40 years and above should ensure regular eye screening at least twice a year.’’

She noted that the free eye screening was part of activities to mark this year’s World Glaucoma Week.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that Glaucoma is a disease that damages the optic nerve, that is the part of the eye that carries the images seen to the brain.

To maintain a constant healthy eye pressure, it produces clear liquid that circulates in the front portion of the eye.

For a glaucoma patient, the fluid does not flow properly; this fluid pressure in the eye increases, pressing on the optic nerve in the back of the eye and causing damage to the nerve fibres.

She added that glaucoma was prevalent and symptomatic, as people did not know about it until it would have go to an advance stage.

According to her, World Glaucoma Week “is a unique initiative to help those with an interest in improved eye health to understand the devastating effects of a condition that could affect many people.”

The MWAN president said with routine eye examination at least twice a year, people could avert glaucoma and prevent irreversible blindness.

According to her, over 250 people had taken advantage of the free eye screening at UITH to get their eyes checked.

Also, Dr Tokunbo Obajolowo, a Consultant Ophthalmologist with UlTH, explained that though glaucoma could cause irreversible blindness, it could be prevented with early detection.

“The disease itself may not be preventable but the emphasis is to detect early and arrest the situation.

“People should get their eyes checked early enough for our intervention to make a difference,’’ she said.

She explained that there was no known cause of glaucoma even though some types run in some families, advising people who are diabetic, hypertensive and people above 40 years to routinely check their eyes.

The Ophthalmologist warned that according to the National Survey of Blindness 2006, out of the number of people above 40 years of age in Nigeria, 16.9 per cent of them were glaucoma related blindness.

“To take into context the figure of people who are 40 years and above, half of them, about 48 per cent are blind from cataract, but of all of the group that are blind from cataract, if they get surgery, they immediately move out of blindness because cataract related blindness can be corrected.

“But the blindness from glaucoma is irreversible and people get permanently blind,’’ she said.

She observed that the free eye screening afforded people the opportunity to get their eyes screened and that those who required surgery would get it at a subsidised price of N15,000.

She said that the medication required to treat glaucoma was expensive and that there were no sponsors for free eye surgeries.

The expert however noted that the Department of Ophthalmology decided to subsidise the price to assist about 30 indigent patients who were unable to afford the surgical intervention.

Obajolowo also appealed to government at all levels to increase awareness on the dangers of glaucoma and also to subsidise the price for surgical interventions, as well as rehabilitate those that have been blinded from glaucoma.

Source: NAN

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